Refrigerator shelving arrangement



Jan. 8, 1957 G. c. HARBlsoN REFRIGERATOR sHELvING ARRANGEMENT Filed Feb. 19, 1954 REFRIGERATGR SHELVING ARRANGEMENT George C. Harbison, Erie, Pa., assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Application February 19, 1954, Serial No. 411,463

1 claim. y(c1. S12- 311) l My invention `relates .tohousehold refrigerating apparatus and more particularly to shelving arrangements for use in such apparatus.

-In most household refrigerating apparatus, as -for ex- 'ample household refrigerators and home freezers, a plurality of spaced horizontal shelves 'are provided in order to supportthe foodstuffs placed therein. 'Ihe number of these shelves varies according to lthe size of the apparatus, but `ordinarily in order to make efcient use of ythe refrigerated 4space available, the shelves must be placed so close Itogether so that the upper shelf or 'shelves tend to block access to articles placed on the lower shelves. Heretofo-re various means have been advanced to alleviate this difliculty. For example, both sliding and rotafting shelves have been provided. The-se in the main have been satisfactory from the standpoint of providing access to the articles stored upon the shelves. My invention, however, con-templates a new and improved shelf structure which utilizes stationary shelves yet provides ready access to the articles placed upon the shelves.

yIn carrying my invention into effect I provide household refrigerating apparatus having a refrigerated storage compartment, access to which is had througha vertically pivoted door. Within the storage compartment, I provide a shelving arrangement comprising a plurality of stepped horizontal stationary shelves mounted one above another with each shelf being less 4in depth than the shelf nex-t below. This stepped shelf arrangement exposes yto access articles placed on the lower shelf or shelves, or in other words, allows removal of articles from `the lower shelves without blocking by the upper shelves. In order to utilize the storage space available because of the shortening of the upper shelves I also provide a plurality of istepped article supporting members mount-eden the door. These supporting members extend into the compartment when the door is closed with each member being greater in depth than the member next below. At least a pair '2,776,856 Patented Jan.y 8, i957 refrigerator incorporating another form of my new and improved shelving arrangement; and

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of the door of lthe refrigerator shown in Fig. 3 illustrating the article supporting members mounted on the door in that `form of my invention.

Referring now to Fig. 1, I have shown therein a refrigerator l in which a storage compartment 2 is defined by xedly secured to liner 3 by `any suitable means as for of these door members are complementary to different ones Iof the compartment storage shelves, i. e. on the same level as the shelves, and together with those shelvs form storage levels extending substantially across the storage compartment. Thus the ready access to the articles placed on the storage shelves is accomplished without -loss of rstorage space within the compartment.

The novel features which I believe to be characteriscorporating my new and improved shelving arrangement in oneform thereof;

Fig-f2 is a perspective view of the door of therefrigerator shown in Fig. l illustrating the shelves mounted thereon in accordance with that form of my invention;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary vertical sectional View of a an inner yliner or wall 3. The compartment 2 is thermally insulated from the surrounding room by means of insulation 4 positioned between liner 3 and the outer panel or wall 5 of the refrigerator; and it is refrigerated by means of an evaporator 6 which is fed with refrigerant by ya condensing unit 7 positioned in a machin-ery compartment 8 at the base of the refrigerator. Access to the refrigerated or storage compartment 2 is had through a front opening 9 which is closed by vmeans vof a door r10. The door 1li is mounted on Vverticaly pivots (not shown) Iso as Ito 'swing Iopen and shut and has .a gasket 11 mountedthereon for effectively sealing the opening 9 upon `the vdoor being closed.l The door, like the main refrigerated cabinet, is formed of two spa-ced walls separated by insulating material, namely, inner and outer panels 12 and 13 and insulation 14. In order to provide additional storage vspace the inner panel 12 is provided with a large center recess 1S. p

Within ythe storage compartment 2 of the refrigerator 1 `as dened by liner 3 and the inner panel 12 of the door, I have mounted one form of my new and improved shelving arrangement. However, it should be understood that the refrigerator 1 as thus far described is only illus- 'trative lof the numerous types of household refrigerating apparatus to which my shelving arrange-ment may be adapted. e

In 4accordance with my invention for providing ready access to articles stored cn refrigerator shelves without losing lany of the available storage space within the refrigerator, I have mounted on .the inner liner 3 ofrefrigerator A1 a plurality of spaced apart horizontal shelves 16, 17, and 18. The upper two shelves 16 and 17 are example brackets and screws (not shown). The lowermost shelf 18, however, is removable from the compartm-ent, being supported by but not attached to a plurality of studs 19 secured to the inner liner. Further the removable shelf 18 4serves as the mounting means for a sliding drawer 20 positioned thereunder,- Ithe side edges of shelf 18 being rolled under to form a bead which accommodates flanges provided at the top edges of the drawer 20. A handle 21 is provided on the drawer 20 for ease of operation.

It is, however, the configuration of the shelves rather l than their manner of mounting or the members supported therefrom, which forms part of my invention. Specifically, it will be seen from the diagram that the shelves 16, 17,' and 18 are stepped upwardly. That is, each shelf f Y ment practically 'to the door; shelf 17 exten-ds only part way to the door, and shelf 16 extends even a shorterdistance toward the door. As indicated by the articles shown in Idotted lines in the diagram this stepped configuration of the shelves provides easy access to any food stuffs stored thereon. Since each shelf does not block access to the front portion o-f the shelf next below it, it is therefore much easier to remove articles from the lower shelf than it is when all the shelves are ofthe same length. v

Just to provide these stepped shelves alone in a storage compartment would, however, waste much of the Space therein. Therefore, in accordance with my invention, I have providedarticle supporting members on the door in the embodiment shown in Fig. l these article support-w ing members mounted on the door 'compriaihedoor shelves 22, 23, and 24. These door shelves,` according to my invention, are stepped in the reverse directionlto [secured to liner 3.

p supports beneath it a. sliding receptacle or pan, the side edges of the shelves being rolled under to provide a bead the shelves. aixed to the cabinet. In other words each of the door shelves 22, 23, and 24 extends into the storage f compartment somewhat further than the y, stepped `"shelf next below it. In other words each shelf is ,greatery in depth than the shelf next below it.

To most effectively utilize the storage space available, at least a pair of these door members or shelves are complementary to different ones of the cabinet storage shelves and together'` therewith form storage levels extending substantially across the storage compartment. Thus for example, the uppermost door shelf 22 is complementary to the cabinet shelf 16 ,and the second door shelf 23 is complementary to the second cabinet shelf 17. Shelves 16 and 22 together form a storage level extending substantiallyacross the storage space and shelves 17 and 23 together form a second level extending substantially across the storage space. a taller storage space is provided, it would of course be possible to provide three or more steps of complementary cabinet and door shelves so as to make three or more storage levels extending substantially across the storage compartment. In fact, if desired, even inthe illustrited refrigerator 1 a fourth cabinet shelf could be provided complementary to` the lowermost door shelf 24 so as `to provide a third storage level therein.`

Thus through the provision of oppositely stepped shelves mounted inthe cabinetandon thel door I have provided a shelving arrangement which provides easy access to articles stored within the cabinet but yet does In larger refrigerators wherein not waste any of the storage space. It should be noted A,

22 maximum utilization may be made of the space there.`

over without interfering' with thespace over the shelf 16. Thus inthe embodiment shown in Fig.l lthe uppermost shelf 25 is substantially of the same size as the top In fact, in theembodiment ofFig.` 1 the shelves 22 and25'V are joined together bya plurality of strengthening posts 126.l Further the wire grids stepped shelf 22.

27 and 28 `which form the article supporting members of the right hand portion of the shelf 25 may be removed so that talllarticles` such as Vsoda bottlesmay be accom-l modated on the shelf 22.l

It should also be noted that each of the door shelves next below it. Thus here the cabinet is provided with "the stepped shelves 30 and 31, the lower shelf 31 extending farther toward the door than the upper shelf 30. Beneath these shelves 30 and 31, which are fixedly vsecured to the inner liner 3 of the cabinet, are mounted a pair of removable shelves 32 and 33, these shelves resting respectively on a plurality of studs 34 and 35 Each of these removable shelves accommodating anges on the top edges of the pans. Thus the upper removable member 32 `supports the pan 36 and the lower removable member 33 the `pan 37. Handles 38 and 39 are provided respectively on the pans in order to facilitate their operation. It should be noted, however, that if the removable member 32 and the pan 36 supported therefrom are removed completely from the `storage compartment, the member 33 will comprise a third shelf in the stepped shelf configuration. In other words,iwith the'member 32 and basket 36 removed, the member 33will form a shelf next below the shelf 31 .which is. greater vin depth than the shelf 31.` As with the similar shelves' shown in Figs. 1 and 2 these stepped cabinet shelves ,30, 31, and 33 provide for greater accessability to the contents stored onthe lower shelf or shelves. p

In order to make maximum utilization of the space resulting from the lstepped configuration of the lcabinet shelves the embodiment of lmy invention shown in Figs. 2 and 3 also includes article supporting members mount-l ed on the dooi whichare complementary to at least a article supporting member or shelf 40 and complementary to the second` cabinet shelf 311 have provided an article supporting member or basket 41; `The upper article supporting member 40 extendsfurther into storage compartment 2 than the. lower supporting member or Vbasket-11 or in other words `the upper door member Ais greater in depth than the member next below it. The upper door .member 40 and the upper cabinet shelf 30 together form one storage level extendingsubstantiallyacross the stori age compartment andthe bottom of the lower door mem- `ber 41`and the` vsecond cabinet shelf 31 together provide a secondy storage level extending substantiallyacross the i compartment.

The uppendoor member or shelf 40 is firmlyl affixed to t the inner panel 12fof the door whereas the lower member or basket 41 merely-rests against the door and is movable therefrom? Specificallyl the basket 41 is supported from a @third door supporting member or shelf 42 aixed to `the is provided with an opstanding edge or other guardto prevent any articles storedthereon from falling olf if the door should be slammedtoohard. Although such edges or'guards are notnecessaryto my invention, in

practice it has been found `desirable vtoprovide them. 5

identical-elements in'Figs. 3 and 4 to those 4in Figs. 1 4 V and 2 are numbered the same inpalluthe figures., A s bef' fore andaccordingtomyinventiomjaplurality of stepped shelves are vmounted within the.storagefcompartment 2".

with each vshelf being`,.greater indepththan the shelf door abovey the shelf 40.- -This uppermost door shelf 42 is provided in lorderto utilize the rather large storage i `space remaining above the topl stepped member 40. `The shelf 42 `dores notfextend `any further into the storage compartmentl than the shelf 40 in order that the cabinet shelf 30j may be utilized to store tall articles such as vbottles.4 AMoreoverthe right hand grids 43 and' 44 ofshelf 42 imay be removed to permit the storage of tall "articles'on'the shelf l40.`- Posts 45 run between shelves 40 and-"42 in order tostrengthen both. The basket 41 is 42; by means of a plurality of 1 pivotallyfmlounted links. AThus Athe one end of the basket' 1 is attached to one side of the shelf by links 46 and 47 while the other end ofthe basket is attached to the` other side of the shelf l42 by links 4S and 49. These links 4649 l supported from the shelf are pivoted at their upper ends in recesses provided in the sides of shelf 42` and'at their lower ends are pivoted in journals provided on the base of the basket 41, the jour i nals 50 and51 `for accommodating the lower fendsfof links 2f 46 and Mbeng shown.v

As shown in Fig, 4 the action of these links allows the baskefor supporting member 41 tobe swung'- out from undernethfthemember 'or shelf 40,V a handle 52 beingprovidedon the basket tofacilitate this procedure. Once the lbasket or receptacle 52 has cleared the shelf 40, the lid 53 thereof may be lifted so as to permit access to the contents of the basket. Once the desired articles have been removed from or placed in the basket 41, it may then be swung back into its normal position against the inner panel 12 of the door as illustrated in Fig. 3. Any suitable catch, as for example a spring catch, may be utilized to retain the basket in its normal or retracted position. The swinging basket construction is of course advantageous in that it provides a large storage space close under the next higher shelf, which space is nonetheless easily accessible due to the movability of the basket.

Summing up, it may be seen that through my invention I have provided a new and improved shelving arrangement which permits ready access to the contents of any shelf but yet utilizes the available storage space within the refrigerator very effectively. Through the provision of stepped shelves within the main storage space, no shelf blocks olf the shelf next beneath it, and the complementary article supporting members on the door electively utilize the space remaining as a result of this stepped configuration. As shown 'by the two illustrated embodiments, the reverse stepped supporting members mounted on the door may take various forms. Just so long as they complement the main cabinet shelves so as to form storage levels extending substantially across the storage compartment no appreciable amount of space -within the compartment can be wasted.

From a consideration of the above, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made in the disclosed structure without departing from my invention. Therefore, While in accordance with the patent statutes I have described what at present are considered to be the preferred embodiments of my invention, it will be understood that in the appended claim I intend to cover -all such changes and modifications as fall within the tme spirit and scope of my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

In refrigerating apparatus having a refrigerated storage compartment and a door providing access to said compartment, a shelving arrangement comprising a plurality of horizontal storage shelves mounted in said compartment with each shelf being less in depth than the shelf next below thereby to expose to access articles placed on the lower shelf, and a storage receptacle and at least one horizontal door shelf mounted on said door and extending into said storage compartment with said receptacle being positioned beneath said one door shelf and being less in depth than said one shelf, said receptacle having movable mounting means including a plurality of pivoted links supporting said receptacle from said one door shelf and effective to swing said receptacle out from beneath said shelf thereby to provide access to said receptacle, and said receptacle and said one shelf being complementary to different ones of said storage shelves and together therewith forming storage levels extending substantially across said storage compartment, whereby the ready access to the articles placed on said storage shelves is accomplished without loss of storage space within said compartrnent..

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,000,944 Gilbert et al May 19, 1935 2,074,785 Gentz Mar. 23, 1937 2,252,021 Morehouse Aug. 12, 1941 2,405,416 Foulkes Aug. 6, 1946 2,576,691 Money Nov. 27, 1951 2,690,266 Johnson Apr. 28, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,059,600 France Nov. 10, 1953 

